Wheelchair-accessible car park
Yes
Rock Springs Conservation Area in Decatur
Categories
Location on the map
Decatur, Macon County, Illinois, US
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Amenities
Good for kids
Yes
Phone: +1 217-423-7708
Site: http://www.maconcountyconservati...
Site: http://www.maconcountyconservati...
Opening hours
- Monday:8AM–5PM
- Tuesday:8AM–5PM
- Wednesday:8AM–5PM
- Thursday:8AM–5PM
- Friday:8AM–5PM
- Saturday:9AM–5PM
- Sunday:1–5PM
Comments (181)
Rock Springs is a hidden gem on the outskirts of Decatur. It is a beautiful place to enjoy nature while hiking, biking, or strolling along the paved pathway.
We love visiting the Nature Center and walking around the trails! Such a great family outing!
Absolutely beautiful! There are several ponds for fishing, a playground for children, an informative nature center (great for kids), clearly labeled trails with varying difficulties from easy to difficult, and a paved bike trail about 13 miles long starting at rock springs and ending at Greendell Park, with trails branching off leading to Kiwanis Park and Fairview Park.
My kids and I love going here and seeing all the different bugs, flowers, animals and different paths that are always well maintained & clean! There is a water station for dogs & people! A playground for kids to play on! Also a fishing pond for everyone to enjoy. Plenty of parking as well!
Information center is informative and has a friendly slaff. There are hands on displays and visual features. A bird watching window bench; and miles of scenic trails. I spent most of the time on the trails.
Theres something for everyone at Rock Springs. You can hike by visiting the woods or prairie. Theres an awesome nature center and a playground for the kids. You can take a tour of the Prairie Farm, or just enjoy a day of fishing. Choose your adventure
Wow!! This place is amazing for riding bikes and walking or running but bring insect repellant for trails!!!
The convention area and Park is a wonderful and beautiful place. It has a playground for the kids, a pond to fish in, and walking and the bike trails leading up to Fairview Park. Its a good place to relax and unwind with ample parking
Family favorite with well cared grounds and trails ... an asset to the community for recreational & educational purpose
Pics Ive taken of scenery and my pup out there!
I have not seen all the trails but it is very good. It is exciting for the little ones that love exploring and the outdoors. Makes it easy to follow. Bike trail is perfect for people wanting to walk and look at a distance and exciting for bike riders. Lots of curves, hills, etc.
One of my favorite places in Decatur by far! Such a cute little area with great trails
Very nice park. Great family day!
Theres a nature center for the curious minds.A room to sit and watch the nature outside, without being outside. There are paved trails, dirt trails and mowed through tall grass trails.The long paved trail is 3 miles each way.There are no toilet facilities along the way, so prepare for the journey.Its a nice place for a tranquil walk, refreshing run or peaceful meditation.Theres also a large area for family fun and picnicking.Sorry, I dont recall the Playground equipment, I believe there is some, but not a lot.
Very nice park with excellent pavilions
They have activities for kids and nature walks and packs you can borrow to ski or fish or discover! Fun learning with kids. Also have canoeing when possible.
Very nice place to eat my lunch
I actually volunteer here- was a greeter at the front desk. This is such a wonderful center! They are currently doing alot of remodeling but it will be even better when it is finished. You can rent fishing poles, cross country skis and wedding space in the park. Great resource for the community. There is a bird watching area and a wildlife exhibit complete with motion activated bird calls
Very pretty trails! Some of them were flooded out though. I would recommend coming during the dry season.
The trails are beautiful and there are options for easy /short trails or longer, more advanced trails. Great place for kids to be in nature! My 6 year old spotted a huge doe and my 10 year old spotted a turkey vulture! We saw at least 8 hummingbirds from close-up. Loved it!!
I helped chaperone my sons field trip. This was a wonderful experience. The staff and volunteers are very friendly and knowledgeable. The activities they had planned were structured enough to keep the students interested and excited. They were fluid enough to allow time for exploration and questions. I loved it! I look forward to taking my children there someday the summer so we can explore on our own.
A nice place to remind yourself that nature is peaceful
Really enjoyed the nature hike and the picture window to watch birds.
We came to enjoy the beautiful weather!! He went fishing. I took our 3 year old daughter to the play place. Its more built for older kids who have better balance, plus no slide or swings. We walked down to where dad was fishing. Beautiful surroundings. Big pavilions to have cookouts or snacks. We left right in time because they had 2 big classes of little children coming to explore. We will return and maybe walk trails, or ride bikes on bike trails.
Always a great place to hike, bike, and run. The bike trail is great, however the unpaved trails are the real treat.
I love this place! Its so beautiful with a lot of trails to walk, lots of wildlife and the little ones love it. Check out the childrens room inside along with the bird watching window, they provide binoculars. You can rent fishing poles to fish on the pond and there is even a play structure.
A wonderful place to explore! Many trails with different levels of difficulty. A beautiful building with lots of interesting exhibits & informative videos! I love this place!!!
This has always been one of my favorite places in the Decatur area. Beautiful and educational. Plenty of trails to explore, and a wide variety of things to do.
Loved this place even though it was rainy. Staff was very knowledgeable and friendly!
Plenty of natural trails to enjoy.
An army of great volunteers make this place vibrant with community. The cross country skiing rental was awesome! Very easy. Many picture opportunities.
Nice fairly quiet area to walk and relax
Love that they have a huge window in front of several bird feeders and you can sit and watch the birds and also hear them through a speaker. There are so many different ones to watch. They also have a very nice library that one can check out books from on all things nature. Wonderful!
Great place to visit. We love to spend time together there quite peaceful.
A hidden treasure of Decatur. Great area to get out and be around some good old fashioned nature. Nicely paved path that goes several miles back to Fairview Park. Walking, biking, dog walking, whatever youre in to. Go it alone or bring the kids. The conservation building has tons of learning opportunities for everyone, especially kids. Enjoy the pine forest!
Really nice walkable trails.
This is a wonderful place for the whole family. We had the pleasure of attending an event with a wonderful professor who spoke on the life of Laura Ingles Wilder and her family. The presentation was even greater than we had anticipated. The only problem was people on the other side of the room not sharing a binder of additional information. In spite of their rudeness it was a great way to spend the afternoon. Rock Springs is a fabulous place with a lot of nice staff and volunteers. There was a beautiful wedding outside as well. Didnt know one could have weddings there, but as pretty as it is it is perfect. If you havent been there check it out, youll be glad you did.
Plenty of hiking and biking trails through forests and tall grass prairies. Visitor center is kept up well and the site is well maintained. Kayaking and canoeing available on the Sangamin River and ponds available for fishing. Great place for families and close to town.
Lots of exhibits are closed but we still had fun
The Nature Center was awesome! The kids loved looking around and the adults loved the observation area! Highly recommend checking it out!
I love going here doing spring and early summer time. They always have some kind of activity going on for adults and kids. Add onto that you almost guaranteed to see some kind of wild life weather it be deer or birds. Just be careful there is poison ivy out there. The staff here are wonderful even if they dont take in any injured animals.
Its a very nice place to walk, cycle or just enjoy the outdoors.
One of the last prairies left is found here. Beautiful scenic walking paths, bike riding, and historical landmarks. Special community events held here. Just wonderful to visit. Peaceful.
You can easily kill a few hours on trails out here, if its been dry that day. Its a great escape from being in town, just take out some lunch, walk some trails, its awesome
Best place to hike in the Decatur area. Well maintained trails and paved be bike trail. Lots of parking and a nice visitor center.
Parking is good. Different types and lengths of trails. Paths for strollers/wagons as well as trails through the woods. My dogs love it too!
Small, but neat nature exhibits. Friendliness, of staff is typically good but have had some unfriendly more lazy snippy encounters. In spite, it is a convenient place we will continue to visit.
Great outdoor area. Paved and unpaved options, water running through it and playground and restroom. Lots of different trees and has some hills for contrast in scenery. Very peaceful and serene area to spend some time.
Wonderful place. Nice little visitor center. Trails for all abilities
A gem in the city of Decatur. A wonderful place to spend in nature. Utilizing the walking/bike paths. Or the trails thru the woods. If you forget poo bags for your fur baby those are available at the entrance by the Visitofs Center. The VC is a place you can still interact with nature. Fish, turtles, snakes. Jam to music sessions. Visit the Homestead Prairie farm. Open Weekends beginning in May. Visit the 1860s Heritage Garden. Educational/informational sessions throughout the year. Enjoy watching the growth of a new garden along the way to the Visitors Center where youll find plants native to our area in Illinois. Come visit & well look forward to many returns 😊
I love being able to walk through the woods. The trail is really nice and you can walk all the way to fairview.
Great place to visit, many great programs through out the year at the various conservation sites throughout the county. The conservation district is the real gem of outdoor recreation in Macon county. Too bad that parks in decatur were not this good.
Beautiful facilities and grounds. The place has really grown and developed over the past fifty years. Macon County should be proud to have such a community asset..
Not much here really. Trails seem limited
Several settings and trails including my two favoritres: the river trail and prairie path. They also have vintage baseball and an educational center kids will really enjoy.
Great park with lots of trails and a nice bike path. The Rock Springs office area has some nice exhibits and a bird window for watchers in all seasons.
You might see some nice wildlife.
This place is beautiful! I love coming out here and taking pictures, fishing, or just walking around! If you havent been here and are a nature lover this is perfect.
Great walking, running or bicycle path along Stevens Creek running approximately 6.3 miles from Rock Springs to Greendale Park. Shaded and primarily flat except for a few small hills near the Rock Springs area.
A beautiful natural area with many walking and bike paths. Take your time to explore along the Sangamon River, prairie walks or in the line forest.
Its an amazing nature preserve with trees and a creek and a play area bee hives and blacksmithing!!
Absolutely beautiful and so peaceful. Great place to take a walk and get to enjoy nature at the same time.
One of the best place to visit in Decatur
This place is so peaceful. The up keep is amazing wonderful. Plan a full day at Rocksprings. So many trails, a pond, wildlife and so much more.
Always peaceful and relaxing out here! So many trails to hike and places to sit and watch the day go by.
It was beautiful Spring day, the May apples were blooming. The trees had a fresh new canopy of leaves for plenty of shade.
Beautiful place to walk. Peaceful, well maintained. Thanks to the staff!!🙂
Great trails. Park is kept in good condition. Some bugs on trails, but minor. Amazed at how well the park is kept for it being an illinois state park
A great place to take hikes and get some wonderful pics.
Nice park
Beautiful place to get some pics taken, never even knew it was here even though Ive live 30 mins from it my whole life
The wedding in the woods was a beautiful spot...rays of sunshine drenched areas thru the trees creating waves of lovely light shadowing.
There is always something to do at Rock Springs. Classes, events, exhibits, family days.... you name it. Great trails. Educational for the kiddos.
It was beautiful and so relaxing in the pine woods,awesome.
Our family enjoys visiting Rock Springs year round. Always a great day🌲
Always a nice place to get away. Great trails through beautiful prairie and peaceful woods.
Visitor center closed early. Suspicious group of young people in pavilion smoking weed. But will give it another try another day.
I have always loved going to Rock Springs. Wonderful hiking in the woods or on the bike trail.
Love going here to hike or just sit and watch the wildlife. They also plan activities through out the year.
I love this place!
Great place to bond with nature. Great walking and bike trails
Beautiful trails, not overly difficult. Well tended
Remote and well maintained. Great place for a group outing.
Really good place to go for trail walking 👣👣and picnicking! Beautiful!!! 🐝u☕ful
Great bike paths here. If you like prairie, youll find this park to be a treat.
Absolute Gem for central Illinois!
Love taking my dog on walks here! Wooded and private walk all the way to Fairview park
We love going here to walk and take pictures. They also have cool classes.
Great for hiking and seeing nature
Fun to go out and relax and see nature.
Favorite place to walk trails and see wildlife. The center is great for education.
So many things to keep kids busy. And its all free. Very helpful volunteers
Beautiful
Lots of hiking trails and places to hold events like birthday parties or cookouts. You can also fish there.
Wonderful county conservation district.And yes, Im prejudiced. I am a past chair of the board.GO GO!
I go fishing out here its my favorite place to fish not alot of people and always have a good catch
Love the bike trail and good scenery for family photos.
Best place to fish love the pine forest been going there since i was 5
Such a hidden gem. It has so many great programs all year long.
Informative Nature Museum with well groomed hiking paths and a paved bike trail
I love going on runs put here and taking my son for hikes!
Bring bug spray,water,and comfortable shoes .love the bird area.
Nice paved trails. Beautiful setting.
Cool playground and nice restrooms!
Best walking and bike trails..
A nice place to enjoy nature. Majestic pines. Tall prairie.
Beautiful area and very good educational information for everyone
Fun trails and kids love the pine tree forest
Trails, diversity of events. Several exhibits and history, like he homestead house. Whats not to like?
Nature center where I walk. Sight birds and some wildlife. Never crowded.
Love this place, even got married here 14 years ago!
Well kept. Great area for pictures!
Great, beautiful natural resource in Decatur!
Its a fun place to take your dog for a walk
I went to a bluegrass band that was very nice I enjoyed the music.
Caugth the tail end if the day, BUT really neat and cant wait to go back...
Always a great place to go and see nature
Beautiful area. Will definitely be back!
A place of beauty and peace!
One of my favorite places since childhood.
Love this place. So much to see & do!!
Beautiful area! Will definitely be back again!
Beautiful place with a great bicycle trail
An amazing and well kept area.
Fun place to go and lots to do there.
Nice place need rock in trails when its muddy
Love this place, Couldnt live in decatur without it.
Great for hiking and biking!
Great place to hike
Love taking walks out here and doing a lilfishing.
Neat place to explore!
Rock Springs is a great place to visit & volunteer
Lovely day spent on trails
Great place for a hike.!
Great place to hike.
Very peaceful and beautiful scenery
Great place for a hike.
Cant even fish pond too much moss
A local treasure for all to share. Fun.
Awesome - except for the poison ivy and gnats.
You learn something every time you go.
Beautiful outdoor park.
Friendly staff lots to do.
Love it
Snowing wonderland
Kids love the place.
The hiking is gorgeous
Beautiful area.
Great time
Fun for all ages!
Well maintained park.
Pine forest, biking trails, hiking
Rock Springs Hike and Outdoor Yoga
Nice place to spend the day
Beautiful
Well cared 4
Lovely pine forest
Nice quiet place.
Beautiful place
Love it
Got married there
Tt
Enjoyed the walk
Was wonderful!
Beautiful views
Great place.
Park
Beautiful layout
Love this place.
Fun place...
That park is jenial
Total reviews rating 4.8
181 Reviews for Rock Springs Conservation Area 2023:
Review №1
2022-02-16If you have never visited Rock Springs Conservation Area you have got to go as soon as possible! It is located in Decatur about a hour from Shelbyville. Rock Springs Conservation has a beautiful Nature Center, hiking trails, bike trails, canoes, camps, fishing when it is warmer, cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals and so much more. Rock Springs looked like a winter wonderland covered in snow.Yesterday Jean, Nancy and I went to Rock Springs to try XC skiing on the snow covered trails. Jean and I met Kelle at Shorelines this fall and she told us all about renting skis and snowshoes at Rock Springs. Kelle is a fellow bucket list lover like us! 😂 Who knew five months later we would have enough snow to try skiing. There needs to be four inches of snow to ski or snowshoe. It only cost $8 to rent skis or snowshoes! We could use them for two hours which is a very long time to ski! They measure you to see what size of poles you will need based on your height. They provide the ski boots in the $8 rental price. The boots are EU sized. All the employees and volunteers were so helpful in getting us fitted for our adventure. We overdressed not knowing what a hard workout we were getting ourselves involved in! Definitely wear layers if you go skiing. We met so many nice people on the trails. Pretty much everyone out there was trying it for the first time. Lots of spills and laughs on the trails. When you get done you will be starving. Skiing burns a lot of calories especially if you have no clue what you’re doing! It was a blast!It was so much fun I decided to go the next day too! Stacy and Cade joined the Grabb family on a winter adventure. The Nature Center opened at 1pm today so we got there a little early to walk around and explore some of the trails. When we got back to the center there was a long line at the door waiting to get in to rent skis. The line moved pretty quickly so it didn’t take long for us to get our gear so that we could hit the trails. I decided to try snowshoes today since I skied yesterday. We ended up getting four miles in which was probably a mile too much! 😂 We had some falls, broken boots and a great day together. We all give Rock Springs Conservation Area a five star rating! We want to bring our dogs next time when there is less snow so they can hike easier.
Review №2
2022-05-09Escape the day to day in this Macon County park located on the edge of Decatur. It has multiple trails to choose from as you explore the park including a paved multi-use trail that’s an ideal option for bicyclists, strollers, wheelchairs, or anyone who just wants an easier walk instead of a traditional hiking trail although several of those are relatively easy walks and some are fairly short (under a mile in length).
Review №3
2022-06-08What an nice place to enjoynthe day. Trails are well marked and actually taken care of. Highly recommend this place
Review №4
2022-06-28You definitely need you bug spray when you come, but the have so many hiking/walking trails that are kid friendly and grandparent friendly. They also have a play ground, a conservation center, and even a place to fish.You could spend all day here if you so chose.
Review №5
2022-04-04Beautiful area for hiking, picnics, fishing, bird watching, photography and school field trips. A lot of people don’t realize that they also rent equipment for cross country skiing in the winter for really cheap. It’s a fun way to get outdoors and stay active during the winter when it snows. We had the pleasure of speaking to Ritchie on several occasions before he passed away. He was always personable and had a smile on his face. Rest In Peace🌹I went cross country skiing on 2.6.2022. Ive been many times over the years and its always been fun. Today it was packed with people trying to cross country ski for the first time. It really took away from being able to enjoy being out in nature because all you could hear was a group of 4 women who sounded like Hyenas when they laughed. It was so loud it echoed through the area. We literally went away from the crowd in a different direction and still somehow ran directly into this annoying group. When it came to paying for the equipment rentals it might have been nice to know that they do NOT accept Debit cards anymore which is a huge inconvenience to find out after waiting in a long line.
Review №6
2021-10-22I went there for the Fall Festival of 2021 and there was so much to see. Lots of activities for adults and children. I REALLY enjoyed watching the kids make bracelets at the Children Museum of Illinois booth.
Review №7
2022-03-20We just moved to this area about a month ago and found this beautiful place my family love coming here
Review №8
2022-06-04This is only a couple miles from my house and has several trails as well as fishing holes! Me and my pet live this place and are frequent visitors!
Review №9
2022-05-18Great place for a hike run or biking. Trails ponds and a river
Review №10
2019-07-09Really great trails, both paved for cycling and cleared for walking. The nature center is clean and full of information about the land and animals in the area. There are benches throughout the trailed areas for resting. Well kept park.